K D Singh arrest triggers war of words in poll-bound Bengal

Kolkata, January 13

The arrest of former TMC MP K D Singh in a money laundering case triggered a fresh verbal duel in the poll-bound West Bengal on Wednesday with the BJP demanding questioning of top brass of the Trinamool Congress in the case, while the ruling party denying any association with Singh for long.

The Enforcement Directorate has arrested Singh in a money laundering case, official sources said on Wednesday.

They said Singh has been placed under arrest under sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

The opposition BJP in West Bengal demanded the top brass of the TMC leaders should be questioned in this connection.

“Who is K D Singh? His identity is that he is a former MP from the TMC. So the best thing would be to question the TMC leaders to bring out the truth,” state BJP vice-president Jaiprakash Majumdar said.

Speaking on the issue, his party colleague Suvendu Adhikari, who had recently switched over to the BJP, claimed Singh’s dealings with the TMC leaders should be probed.

Senior CPI(M) leader Sujan Chakraborty said the TMC can’t deny its involvement with Singh as their leaders had used his plane during election campaign.

The TMC leadership, however, denied any association with Singh for the last few years.

“He has not been associated with us for a long time. For the last few years, we have no relation with him. If he has committed any wrong then the law will take its course. We have nothing to say regarding it,” TMC MP Sougata Roy said.

He, however, described the demand for questioning of the TMC leaders as “baseless and politically motivated”.

The central probe agency had carried out searches at the premises K D Singh and those linked with him in September 2019 in connection with two PMLA cases.

Singh has been the chairman of the Alchemist group and while he resigned from the post in 2012, he is stated to be the Chairman, Emeritus and founder of the business group.

The ED is probing him as part of two money laundering cases. PTI